Emirates or Etihad? Etihad Airways best according to the U.S. Government
What is the best airline to fly between the USA and the UAE? Etihad Airways or Emirates Airlines are both good choices. Both carriers are both based in the United Arab Emirates. The United States Government may have a convincing argument of why anyone flying to the U.S. should prefer Etihad Airways over Emirates.
Flying from or to the United States on Dubai based Emirates Airlines or Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways are both popular options and both airline companies are connecting the world. Nonstop flights between Abu Dhabi and Dubai to New York, Chicago, Washington, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Boston, and others connect North America with the Gulf Region and beyond.
Not only when connecting the UAE with the USA, but also when traveling from the United States to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Seychelles, Mumbai or Delhi, Kathmandu or Moscow and to many more destinations in the Middle East, to Africa, India, the Indian Ocean, Russia or Asia, both airliners are competing for transit passengers. There is another grown kid in the mix. Qatar Airways. Because of a political boycott between the UAE and Qatar, Qatar Airways is in a world of its own. It certainly doesn’t mean less service or less connectivity.
Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are trying hard to get travelers to stopover and Explore Dubai or Abu Dhabi as a tourist. Tourism is an important income earner in the UAE.
When it comes to connectivity and choices Dubai based Emirates is the clear choice flying to 150 destinations on six continents.
Emirates is the A380 airline of the world with more than 100 of these super jumbo aircraft. Etihad Airways is serving 78 destinations around the world.
Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways has A380s are available from Abu Dhabi to London in Europe, Melbourne, and Sydney in Australia, Mumbai in India and New York. Etihad, however, selected the Boeing 787 as their aircraft of choice.
Both airlines offer services United Airlines, American or Delta and most other airlines in the world can only dream of.
The standard of cabin service for both competing carriers in Economy, Business and First Class is the best the global airline industry has to offer.
Etihad introduced the “Residence” an ultra-deluxe first-class service combining first class with private aircraft charter. Passengers fly in their own “residence” with shower, living room and bedroom. It includes a private flight attendant and even a nanny if needed. This service is offered on selected routes from Abu Dhabi to London, New York or Sydney.
Emirates loved the Etihad Residence so much, so it created its own First Class Private Suite.
Both airlines have a state of the art entertainment system allowing passengers to enjoy live TV, fast internet access, access to your mobile phone and a selection of hundreds of movies, TV programs, Audio or games in various languages.
Etihad calls it the E-Box, Emirates Airlines names it ICE and lets passengers already select movies from the convenience of their home before boarding their flight.
Both airlines are catering to their premium passengers with anything from limousine services and premium airport lounges that are truly “premium.”
There is however an exclusive benefit for U.S. bound passengers when flying Etihad. Emirates cannot compete with Etihad. It can mean reducing hours in travel time and a mountain of additional convenience, regardless of what class of service a passenger is flying. Booking connecting flights within the U.S. become more realistic and less time-consuming.
The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has an ultra-modern facility at Terminal 3 in Abu Dhabi International Airport. It allows U.S. bound passengers to undertake all immigration, customs and agriculture inspections in Abu Dhabi, prior to departure.
Abu Dhabi International Airport is one of only a handful of airports in the world that offers the CBP facility. Having cleared CBP, guests can check through their baggage to their final destination in the United States. On reaching the U.S., guests will be treated as domestic arrivals, which allows for faster processing at their arrival airport.
Destinations Etihad is flying to
Cities Emirates Airways flies to
Emirates and Etihad denied a Bloomberg report last month which quoted unnamed sources as saying Emirates was seeking to take over Etihad to create the world’s largest carrier.
More eTN news on Etihad and Emirates.
– Buzz travel | eTurboNews |Travel News
